Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-11-14

The doctor looked pOnderingly on
the little miss. She was a pretty
creature, and innocent as she was
pretty. Though she was seventeen,
her looks and appearance would
hardly claimed for her fifteen we'll
rounded years.
SIT is bridal rose," said Lottie,
keeping her errand in mind, as she
looked admiringly into the great bush,
whose beautiful blossoms rivalled
the whiteness of the snow.
''Humph! 1 suppose so. You
would not think now that it had
spoiled a wedding. But it did; just
fifteen years ago this day"
/ Lottie looked in alarm at the white,
treacherous thing.
"You would not think either, that
a gruff old fellow like me could ever
have got woman to say she would
have him !"
''Oh, yes, | would" said Lottie !;
81 think you are the incest man in the
world-except-"
''Except whom?"
81 was going to say-Harry.
'Exceedingly fine compliment you
are paying me. You expect some of
my choicest flowers for that tid-bit of
f1attery.'
Lottie did not reply, but looked in
such CONSERVATION from the rosebush
to himself that the doctor could not
but smile.
''You would like to hear the story.
Well, it never came from my lips be-
fore, little miss, but l will give it to
you. You see | had been a medical
student under old DIR. West, and
when he died I got my diploma and
stuck my shingle out here. Soon af-
ter that l got acquainted with as trim
a built girl as you often see, and af-
ter awhile, somehow or other, we be-
came engaged. L was young and
had my way to make and we resolved
to wait two years before settling
down. Over back of the hill yonder
there lived a girl named Nancy
Brown, pretty, pale creature, who
seemed just ready to 60 off to the
angels. | was called to attend her, and
l wanted to do my best. | knew
they could never pay a cent, and per-
haps for that very reason l went a
little oftener than l needed. Nancy
had one precious thing-her rosebush
small then, but giving promise of
great things. 1t did seem as if ev-
erybody begrudged it to her, for half
sought to make it worth her while to
give it up.
Perhaps the motives were good
But, though Nancy was in compare
tive poverty, no gold was yellow
enough to buy her one treasure.
Well, her fragility proved not to be
incipient consumption after all, and
time went on until within twenty-four
hours of my wedding day, and that
morning | was in my office here on
the watch for my sweetheart, who
soon, all smiles and bushes, with the
consciousness that it was the last
time as a maiden, came tripping down
the street. l went out to meet her
This bush, not half as large as it is
now, stood here in my window.
'Oh,' said my bride that was to be,
in a pretty rapture. Nancy has sold
you her rose! Did you cross it root
and branch with silver coin?
Not 1. Nanny gave it to me OF
her own free, sweet will
A jealous flush came over my
girls proud face.
Il thought she said, that youl
visits there were more frequent thar
her illness called for. You love her
and if you are fair to her you are
false to me-
| made a sharp reply. She had
charged me with double dealing. The
next morning we were to have beer
married. That was fifteen years ago,
and we have never spoken together
since. Nancy was going away tC
fulfill promise made in childhood
and she gave me her rose because
had saved her life for her lover.
Perhaps | had but she had unknow.
ingly ruined mine. l kept the bush
and it has blossomed every month
with all its might. More than one
young mother has begged of me
some dainty buds to clasp in her dear
baby's hand, and many bride has
pleaded with sweet lips for just few
blossoms to gem her hair. | have
denied them all, and have never cut
one of the flowers until it withered
from the stem. 1t was not for Nan
ny's sake, either, but somehow for
the girls whose life was to have bless
ed mine"
''But you did not love your sweet
heart much, ventured Lottie, wink
ing off the salt drops that had col
lected on her long lashes.
ssNot love her." roared the doctor
''Zounds can chit like you under
take to measure the depths of man s
soul?"
.'If you had you would have acted
differently" bravely asserted this
small council of one, sitting in judg-
ment, with her chin resting on her
hand.
sActed differently p thundered
the doctor. ''Pray, Miss Wisdom